Light emitter chips, such as light emitting diode (LED) chips are solid state devices that convert electric energy to light, and generally include one or more active layers of semiconductor material sandwiched between oppositely doped layers. When an electrical current or bias is applied across the doped layers, holes and electrons are injected into the active layer where they recombine to generate light. Light is emitted from the active layer and from all surfaces of the LED chip.
In order to use an LED chip in a circuit or other arrangement, it is known to enclose the LED chip in an LED package to provide environmental and/or mechanical protection, color selection, focusing and the like. The LED package can include electrical leads, contacts, and/or traces for electrically connecting package to an external circuit, in some aspects via solder pads. When a bias is applied across the external circuit, the LED packages electrically connected thereto (e.g., via solder pads) emit light. Conventional LED packages and external circuitry are limited to a single anode-cathode channel and, therefore, are only operable at a single voltage. Multiple voltages are often needed of the same package, due to constraints at the electrical and system level in different light fixture configurations.
Despite availability of various LED packages and methods in the marketplace, a need remains for improved packages operable across a range of voltages and/or at multiple, specific voltages, for use in both low and high voltage applications. LED packages, systems, and methods described herein can advantageously be used for various low and high voltage applications.